The fortified city of Angkor Thom, some 10 sq km in extent, was built by Angkor's greatest king, Jayavarman VII (ruled 1181-1201), who came to power just after the disastrous sacking by the Chams of the previous Khmer capital. Centered on the Baphuon, Angkor Thom is enclosed by a square wall 8 m high and 12 km in length and encircled by a moat 100 m wide, said to have been inhabited by fierce crocodiles. Visible in the background is Bayon, constructed in the late 12th century C.E. when the state religion had changed to Buddhism. Bayon easily takes second place in Angkor's many monuments. It is a place of stooped corridors, precipitous flights of stairs and, most of all, a collection of 54 gothic towers decorated with over 200 coldly smiling gargantuan faces of Avalokiteshvara. The Bayon is now known to have been built by Jayavarman VII, though for many years its origins were obscure. Shrouded in dense jungle, it also took researchers some time to realize that it stands in the exact center of the city of Angkor Thom. There is still much mystery associated with Bayon - its exact function and symbolism. Bayon is decorated with 1200 m of extraordinary bas-reliefs on the lower and upper levels, incorporating over 11,000 figures, containing scenes among others from the historical sea battle between the Khmer and the Cham. (Lonely Planet, Cambodia 2000, Siem Reap Angkor Visitor's Guide). This picture was taken on 15 August 2012, Sig...